Golf putter with attachable sighting device



Oct. 1, 1968 L. P. MAROUN 3,403,912

'GOLF PUTIER WITH ATTACHABLE SIGHTING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1965INVENTOR. Lau/s l? MOI'OUI) United States Patent 3,403,912 GOLF PUTTERWITH ATTACHABLE SIGHTING DEVICE Louis P. Maroun, 1081 Elodie Drive,Flint, Mich. 48504 Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,308 8 Claims. (Cl.273-163) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf putter having a bladeprovided with a recess in its upper edge in which is accommodated atransparent housing having secured therein a reflector the upper andlower edges of which are located at levels relative to the diameter of agolf ball as to enable the reflector to reflect the upper edge of theball and a distant object such as a flagstaff.

This invention relates to a golf putter construction and moreparticularly to a putter having a reflective device by means of whichthe player may view both the ball and a flagstaif or pin so as tofacilitate the players stroking ball toward the hole.

One of the most difiicult golf shots to execute properly is a fairlylong putt, regardless of whether the ball is to 'be putted straighttoward the hole or along a path that curves toward the hole. The reasonsuch a shot is diflicult is that the putter blade must be locatedperpendicularly to the line of movement of the ball and be maintained inthat position during movement of the putter blade away from and towardthe ball. As is well known, it is essential that the player keep hiseyes focused on the ball during the putting stroke, thereby preventinghim from viewing the intended path of movement of the ball.

It is not uncommon for a player to select a point to one side or theother of a hole in a sloping putting green and then to attempt to puttthe ball toward that spot in hopes that the slope of the green willcause the ball to deviate from the selected point and follow a curvedpath into the hole. The difliculty of maintaining the blade of theputter perpendicular to the selected spot to one side of the hole iseven more difilcult than maintaining the blade perpendicular to thehole, for the reason that there is no definitely visible target on whichto sight.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide putters with prismatic ormirror sighting devices to facilitate a players selecting the path alongwhich the ball is to be stroked. Such devices commonly have beendesigned to present to the player an image of the flagstaff or pin. Asis well known, however, it is not possible to determine a straight line.Inasmuch as the path to be taken by a golf essary to utilize two pointsin the determination of a straight line. Inasmuch as the path to betaken by a golf ball can be determined by reference to the point onwhich the ball rests and the location of the cup (or point on eitherside of the cup), apparatus constructed in accordance with the inventionprovides for a players viewing both the ball and the object toward whichit is to be putted as the player addresses the ball.

An object of this invention is to provide a golf putter constructionwhich includes reflective means that enables a player to address a golfball on a putting surface and view not only the target toward which theball is to be putted, but also the ball itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter construction ofthe type described which assists a player in swinging the putter headalong a path which coincides with the path along which the ball is to beputted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a putter constructionfrom which the sighting device may be re- 3,403,912 Patented Oct. 1,1968 ice moved, if desired, without adversely affecting the use of theputter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter construction ofthe kind referred to which is economical to manufacture and durable inuse.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outspecifically or will become apparent from the following description, theappended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section of a golfputter constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of a putter andillustrating the sighting device in detached condition;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, end elevational view of the sighting device;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, end elevational view of a putter constructedin accordance with the invention, and illustrating the relationshipamong the putter, the sighting device, the ball and the target towardwhich the ball is to be putted.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating theobjects as viewed by the player from a position directly above FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the putter and illustrating itsrelationship with a ball; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of the sighting device.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention comprises aputter blade 1 to which is secured one end of an upstanding shaft 2terminating at its upper end in a handle (not shown), as isconventional. The blade 1 comprises a body 3 formed of aluminum or othersuitable material and having a substantially vertical, planar, ballengaging surface 4 terminating at its lower edge in a substantially fiatsole 5. The upper surface of the body 3 is provided with a recess 6between the ends of the blade, the recess having a substantially flatbottom 7 which defines the upper edge of the ball engaging surface 4.

The vertical height of the ball engaging surface 4 is an importantcharacteristic of the construction and should be less than the diameterof a golf ball indicated by the reference character B. In order tocomply with the rules of the United States Golf Association, thediameter of the golf ball B should be 1.68 inches. Accordingly, theheight of the surface 4 should be less than 1.68 inches and, preferably,the distance between the sole 5 and the recess base 7 is 1.375 inches.The significance of these dimensions will be explained hereinafter.

The formation of the recess 6 in the body 3 provides spaced apart,rearward and forward upstanding members 8 and 9, respectively. Theopposite sides of each of the members 8 and 9 are reduced as at 10 and11 to provide shoulders 12 at the level of the base 7.

Adapted for removable accommodation in the recess 6 is a reflectingdevice indicated generally by the reference character 13 and beingcapable of reflecting an image through substantially degrees.Preferably, the reflective device comprises a planar mirror 14 containedwithin a housing 15 having parallel front and rear walls 16 and 17,respectively, and top and bottom walls 18 and 19. The housing 15preferably is square in end elevation, thereby enabling the mirror 14 tobe inclined at substantially a 45 degree angle. The mirror may beretained in the housing 15 by means of suitable adhesive (not shown). Ifdesired, a conventional prism may be used in lieu of the mirror 14.

As is best shown in FIGURE 7, the front and rear walls 16 and 17 of thehousing extend beyond the opposite ends of the top and bottom walls soas to provide two pairs of mounting flanges 19 and 20. As is best shownin FIG- URES l, 4, and 5, the width of the top and bottom walls 18 and19 on the housing corresponds to the width of the putter body 3, and thewidth of the posts 9 and 10 correspond substantially to the spacingbetween the flanges 20 and 21. Accordingly, the sighting device 13 maybe assembled with the body in such a manner that the flanges 20 and 21clampingly engage the posts 9 and 10 so as frictionally and removably tomaintain the device 13 assembled with the putter body with the frontwall 16 of the housing forming a continuation of the blade surface 4, asis shown in FIGURE 4. If desired, screws or the like (not shown) may beprovided to secure the device 13 rigidly on the putter body.

In the assembly of the sighting device 13 with the putter body 3, themirror 14 should be inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge7 of the ball engaging surface 4, and the reflective surface of themirror should face forwardly of the putter. It is important, therefore,that the front wall 16 and the top wall 18 of the housing betransparent, and such walls may be made of a clear plastic material suchas that commonly sold under the trademark Plexiglas.

When the parts are assembled in the manner disclosed in FIGURES 1, 4, 5,and 6, the putter body 3 may be placed behind a golf ball B in readinessto putt the ball toward a hole 23 formed in a putting green 24 and inwhich is a flagstaif or pin 25. Inasmuch as the diameter of the ball Bis greater than the height of the ball engaging surface 4, and inasmuchas the height of the mirror 14, when combined with the height of theball engaging surface 4, is greater than the diameter of the ball B, theplayer may look downwardly from above the putter along the line of thearrows a and b and see the reflected images of both the ball B and thepin 25, as is indicated in FIGURE 5. In FIGURE 5, the image of the ballB is indicated by the reference character B, and the image of the pin isindicated by the reference character 25.

If the surface of the putting green 24 is level, that is, neitherinclined to the left nor to the right of the hole 23, the 'ball B shouldbe putted straight toward the hole. The player, therefore, will positionthe putter in such manner that the center of the ball B coincides withthe longitudinal center of the pin 25, as is indicated in FIGURE 5,thereby resulting in the positioning of the putter blade perpendicularto the line of movement of the ball. The player then may concentrate onthe ball and stroke the putter along a straight line to move the balltoward the hole.

In the event the green slopes to one side or the other of the hole 23,the player may select a point to one 'side of the hole, and see boththat point and the "ball B as he addresses the ball. Thus, apparatusconstructed in accordance with the invention is useful in determiningthe bath of the ball for both straight putts and putts where the path ofthe ball will curve due to the inclination of the putting green.

The disclosed embodiment is illustrative of the presently preferred formof the invention, but is intended to be representative rather thandefinitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A golf putter construction comprising a blade memher having anupright, ball engaging surface at one side thereof and a recess in itsupper surface, said recess having a horizontal base defining the upperedge of said ball engaging surface, said ball engaging surface having aheight from it's upper edge to its lower edge less than the diameter ofa golf ball; a reflecting device having upper and lower edges and beingcapable of reflecting an image through substantially mounting meansconfigured to be accommodated in said recess and supporting said devicewith the lower edge of said device at substantially the level of saidbase and its upper edge at a distance above the lower edge of said ballengaging surface greater than the diameter of a golf ball, and saidmounting means forming a continuation of said blade member.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting meanscomprises a housing having transparent Walls enclosing said reflectingdevice.

3. The construction set forth in claim 2 including flanges at oppositeends of said housing and clampingly engaging said blade member.

4. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said housing has frontand rear walls which are longer than its other walls and extend beyondthe opposite ends of said recess to provide flanges for gripping saidblade member.

5. A golf putter construction comprising a blade member having upper andlower surfaces and a planar, substantially vertical ball engagingsurface, the upper surface of said blade member having a recess thereinbetween its ends and defining an upper horizontal edge for said ballengaging surface, the height of said ball engaging surface between itsupper edge and the lower surface of said blade member being less thanthe diameter of a golf ball; a reflective device; mounting meansconfigured to be accommodated in said recess and supporting said devicein a position to reflect an image along a vertical path of an objectsubstantially normal to said path, said reflective device extendingupwardly from substantially the level of the upper edge of said ballengaging surface a distance which, when combined with the height of saidball engaging surface, is greater than the diameter of a golf ball, andsaid mounting means forming a continuation of said blade member.

6. The construction set forth in claim 5 wherein said reflective devicecomprises a planar mirror inclined at substantially 45 to the vertical.

7. The construction set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting meanscomprises a housing having walls within which said device is contained,one of said walls forming a continuation of said ball engaging surfaceof said blade member, and including means for removably securing saidhousing in said recess.

8. The construction set forth in claim 7 wherein said securing meanscomprises flanges at opposite ends of said housing extending beyond theends of said recess and clampingly engaging said blade member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,463,291 3/1949 Mazziotti273-163 2,503,506 4/1950 Miller 273-163 3,019,022 1/1962 Ehmke 2731633,118,678 1/1964 Rohr 273163 3,170,698 2/1965 Schoeffler et al 2731633,306,618 2/1967 Liljequist 273162 1,327,171 1/1920 Ruggles 2731632,463,798 3/1949 Paisley 273163 3,198,525 8/1965 Smith 273163 3,273,8919/1966 Grim 273-163 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. R. J. APLEY,Assistant Examin'er.

